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Originally Posted by ccrunner  Holy crap you guys  - I bought my guinea pig from a pet store and he has never had a health problem or anything like that. Most pet stores get there guinea pigs from local breeders and they look into the breeder before accepting the guinea pigs. At the pet stores I go to, the associates are really nice and want to make sure you are making a good decision. AND ALL OF THE GUINEA PIGS ARE HEALTHY. It depends on whether or not you go to a good store. With the "redistrabution" of pigs, they sell another cage, more supplies, and it guarantees them more money.
Okay Slappy, you know what? You don't have to buy a cage from a pet store; you could even make your own guinea pig food, and so in the end, the pet store doesnt' have to make a lot of money. It just depends on how easy you are suckered into buying things.
And thank you evilnumberlady, for giving me the okay to "express my opinion."  |
I think you really ought to look into other people's experiences of pet stores, as yours are really not very representative of what's really going on. In the last fortnight, my friend got two pigs from a pet store, not knowing better. Not only were they mis-sexed but despite treatment, one dropped dead a week later because its brother had impregnated it at only a few weeks old. Other stories include pet stores knowingly selling "lethals", pigs ridden with mites, many pregnant females and pigs with respiratory problems. Condone this if you will.
Did you know that if one of your pigs has a litter by accident the pet shop will sell them for you? Did you know about breeding mills that backbreed females to provide for the demand that an owner like you creates? Wow, a pet store that inspects its breeders - where do they find the time and money to do that? Did you actually ask them? If you did ask them, did you ever consider it might be a lie? I would also like to know the advice the "nice associates" gave to you to make that "right decision". My friend thought she was getting good advice from the "nice associate" when she thought she had been sold two females but had, in fact, been sold brother and sister.
It seems you are the one that has been suckered by pet stores. The choice is yours as to whether or not you want to continue supporting them. Please, try and think twice about this.